The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1887-05-12
LINCOLN COUNTY, MISS.
A Pen Sketch of its Natural
Advantages, Soil, Prod
ucts, People, Etc.
A GOODLY LAND FOR PER-
MANENT HOME-SEEKERS.

For the information and guidance of
strangers, and especially those from
the North and West who may be seek
ing good homes in the South, The
LEADER has prepared this article briefly
setting forth the advantages and re-
sources of Lincoln county. We have
confined ourself to plain statement of
facts without fancy embellishments, and
as far as it goes it may be relied upon
as faithful representation.
Lincoln county was created by act of
the Legislature approved April 7, 1870.
and though there have been several acts
passed since affecting its boundaries,
its area has not materially been altered.
1t was formed of parts of the counties
of Lawrence. Copiah. Pike, Amite and
Franklin, as they existed previous to
that time, the iirSt-named contributing
about one half of the territory to the
| new county.
boundaries and Area.
The southern boundary of the county
Is parallel with and just q miles north
of the 31st degree of latitude, the line
separating Mississippi from East Louis
lara Its northern boundary, save the
notch" cut into the county so as to
retain the town of Wesson in Copiah,
as shown on the map of the State, is
parallel with the southern boundary,
and lust "a miles north of it. The
main ridge separating the waters that
flow into the-Mississippi from those that
seek Pearl river extends nearly cen
trallv through the county. The breadth
rom east to west is % miles, save that
six miles square is added to the north
west, thus making the northern bound
airy and a strip six miles south OF it cx-
tend east and west % miles. The
county is bounded by those from which
It was formed and also by the county
of Jefferson. Its area is 1913 square
miles, and it is comparatively small
county, being about one-thrd smaller
than either Pike or COpiah, between
which it les The Illinois Central
railroad passes centrally through the
county from north to south.
The Popuiatipn
in 1870 was lG, a, OF which G.022 were
whites, and /, l62 colored. In 1880 the
whites numbered 7,7Ol; the colored
5.Si2; total, 13,jI7 1t will thus be
seen that the percentage of increase in
the decade as a whole was 3 363, over
33 per cent. There has been large
increase of population since the last
census, and according to most reliable
estimates the population is now about
1000 During the last few years
quite number OF negroes have lett the
county at various times for the 1aZOo
delta, their places being gradually filled
by whites, so that Lincoln may Justly
lie classed as a white mans county.
The registered vote Of 1886, the largest
ever reached, was 3, 200, Of which 2,O75
were white and 1,l2j black.
Assessed Value of Property.
The assessed value of property in
1886 was: Realty. $3.50, ,O95; personally,
$50, 52S; total, 81, 453, 900. The net
increase in values in the last five years
is S343, ,O95. The Indebtedness of the
county is small. not exceeding $1,000,
and this will be Cancelled within the
next two years.
geographically Considered
Lincoln county is peculiar. While no
very large streams are in the county,
get quite a number rise here. \ point
n few miles northwest of Brookhaven
seems to be the highest in the county,
and a general watershed. In this
neighborhood the Bayou Pierre rises
and runs almost due north for many
miles, and thence turning to the west
finds an entrance into the Mississippi in
the ncIghborhood of Port Gibson. Near
the same point McCall's creek rises,
and not far west the Homo Chitto.
which, coming together, and flowing in
u southwestern course, empty into the
Mississippi short distance above the
Louisiana line. The Amite river rises
lust south of the headwaters of McCalrs
creek and runs nearly south into Lake
Maurepa. The Tangipahoa rises a
short distance west of Antics head
waters, flows south and empties itself
into Pontchartran lake. The BOgue
Chitto rises near the watershed and
flows east of south, emptying partly in
to Lake Pontchartrain and partly into
Pearl river near its mouth. Topisaw
rises southeast of the Bogue Chitto.
and running nearly south empties into
the latter stream ut Holmesville, in
Pike county. Fair river rises just north
of Topisaw's headwaters, and runs
northeast, falling into Pearl river sew
eral miles above Monticello, in Law
renee county. The Bahala rises north
of Brookhaven and flows northeast,
reaching Pearl river near the Copiah
line. Brookhaven is 500 feet above the
levee of the sea. q The highest point In
the comfy is believed to be about 500
feet and the county is higher than any
that bounds it or is within 200 miles
of il
As a result of this topography and
the numerous tributaries of the princl-
pal streams named, there is large pro-
4 Al 49, IL